Sigma & BREEF Solidify Partnership

The Delta Epsilon Sigma Chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. (Sigma) and the Bahamas Reef Environment Educational Foundation have partnered to provide new opportunities for urban (inner city) youth to experience the natural world and promote interest in conservation and the marine sciences. The two organizations signed an historic memorandum of understanding in Nassau, Bahamas on August 1.

“Despite being an archipelagic nation our fraternity noted that there are scores of over-the-hill youth that have not experienced nature outside of the occasional ‘beaching’ on Sundays with family. This void has negatively impacted our appreciation of how our actions affect our marine and natural resources,” said Delta Epsilon Sigma chapter president Derek W. Smith Jr. “Our brotherhood is excited to partner with BREEF because of its rich 20-year history of marine research, education and conservation which makes it the ideal partner as we work to create meaningful connections between youth and the environment.”

“We are working diligently through existing and new initiatives to enlighten the community on conservation of our environment. We are happy that Sigma’s motto, ‘Culture for Service, Service for Humanity’ fall is line with our mandate to educate the Bahamian public, policy-makers and other key stakeholders about ways our actions impacts our culture and way of life,” said BREEF executive director Casuarina McKinney-Lambert.

The multi-faceted partnership includes:

1) sponsorship of five (5) inner city youth to attend the BREEF New Providence Sea Camp;

2) serve as mentors for the BREEF Eco-Schools Bahamas Programme with a focus on government schools;

Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity was founded on January 9, 1914 at Howard University. The local chapter keeps the public updated on their scholastic and social action endeavors at www.facebook.com/pbs242. To learn more about BREEF visit their website at www.breef.org

Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc

Caption: Historical memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed: Phi Beta Sigma Inc. in The Bahamas (known as Sigma Bahamas) signed a historical MOU with the Bahamas Reef Environment Education Foundation today at BREEF’s executive office in Nassau, Bahamas on August 1.

The MOU outlined the 5 point partnership agreement as the fraternity pledged to support BREEF’s youth environmental education programmes, while advancing it’s community service and youth development goals.